Saudi Arabia's King Salman has authorised a range of bonuses and payouts for citizens, including a monthly payment of 1,000 riyals (Dh979.37) for civil servants for the coming year.
The measures are aimed at softening the impact of price rises as the government works to restructure its economy amid lower oil prices.
In a series of royal decrees issued overnight on Saturday, the king ordered a 5,000 riyal (Dh4,896) payout to military personnel serving on the front lines of the kingdom's war with Yemen, as well as a 500 riyal (Dh489) allowance for one year for retired persons and those receiving social security.
The monthly stipends of students will be boosted this year and the government will bear the cost of the new tax for some services and the purchase of a first home.
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
